Deadpool was co-created by artist and writer Rob Liefeld and writer Fabian Nicieza. Liefeld designed the character's visual appearance and concept, while Nicieza contributed to the character's speech mannerisms and name. Deadpool first appeared in The New Mutants #98 in December 1990. Liefeld has described Deadpool as "Spider-Man, except with guns and swords," and Nicieza named the character Wade Wilson as a nod to Deathstroke, a DC Comics villain with a similar costume and background.